VISITUS - Food Business Gulf & Middle East

WOP PREVIEW19demand for produce, technology, packing andperishables logistics. Year on year, WOP isgrowing demonstrating the key importance ofthe show to the industry. We also thank HHSheikh Hamdan Bin Rashed Al Maktoum,Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Financeand Chairman of Dubai Municipality forwhose Patronage WOP DUBAI is being heldfor the fourth consecutive year.”In 2011, WOP hosted 131 companies from18 countries with eight official countrypavilions participating. These countries were:France, China, Lebanon, Rwanda, Egypt,Kenya, Turkey and Italy. planetfair registeredover 2500 trade visitors from 54 countries.To provide a forum and important insights onthe growing industry of fresh produce, EurofruitMagazine, in cooperation with WOP Dubaiwill be running the Eurofruit Congress MiddleEast from November 17-18, 2012, Shangri-LaHotel Dubai.Alongside the WOP Dubai trade show,planetfair also runs the International Plant ExpoMiddle East (IPM DUBAI) held under thepatronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed AlMaktoum, President of the Dubai Civil AviationAuthority and Chairman of Dubai Airports,which has been consistently regarded as theregion's largest plants and flowers trade fairand features international exhibitors for sevenyears. Both shows last year registered 4321visitors, up by 21% from 2010.Available data showed that Dubai saw a 16per cent growth in the import of fresh fruits and20 per cent increase in fresh vegetables from2008 to 2010. In 2010, Dubai importedalmost 1.7 billion kgs of fruit and vegetablesvalued at nearly AED 5.3 billion.OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2012FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST